Night Visions
by space-trash-princess
Summary: A future where Rey and Ben Solo have made a life together. Their son is haunted by force-visions of his family's troubled past and ominous glimpses of the future while their daughter is thrust into a life-changing adventure all her own. A Jedi cult has warped the teachings of the long-lost Order, threatening the peace of the reestablished Galactic Republic.
1. Chapter 1

Monsters in masks, twisted metal, blades blazing red and blue, the sickening scent of seared flesh. Hellish visions flashed through his mind as Anakin tossed in his sleep before bolting upright to find himself back in his room; back to peaceful reality. His pale skin was slick with sweat, sending chills through his body as it cooled against his flesh in the frigid night air. He pulled his soft purple blanket closer around him for warmth and comfort. Fighting back the tears that blur his vision, he decides he can't stand a moment longer in this dark room by himself. He tossed off his blanket and started towards his parents' room. They always knew what to do when he started to see things. The visions aren't always of bad things, but sometimes the worst parts of history come back to haunt him. His little footsteps echoed through the stone halls of the temple that they called home as he quickened his pace, as if the darkness of the hallway behind him would catch up with him if he didn't reach their bedside in time. A childish notion, he told himself; he should be a brave, strong Jedi like his parents.

Anakin quietly entered his parents' spacious bedchamber. It isn't as dark as his room; it was faintly illuminated by the moonlight streaming in from the large windows on the opposite wall. He gently nudged his mother's arm to wake her. Rey awakened to the anxious face of her little boy. She knew why he was here; his visions often had him seeking comfort in her and Ben's bed. She sat up and scooped him onto her lap. He curled his scrawny little body against her as she ran her fingers through his thick, wavy hair, gently rocking him. Ben was awake beside them. Rey's concern for their son had woke him through the bond that had tethered them together for eight years since they first met on opposite sides of war. The war their son was born amidst. The war they ended together. He sat up beside her and placed a comforting hand on Anakin's back. It nearly spanned the width of his little torso.

"What was it this time, Anakin?" He asked.

"There was this mask-" Anakin began before he is interrupted by the cries of their family's newest addition. Ben rubbed the sleep from his eyes and combed his fingers through his hair.

"Just a moment, I'll go get her."

He quickly returned from the next room cradling his tiny, squalling daughter. She looked so small and fragile in his arms. He moved back into bed and turned her to look him in the eyes. Moving his face close to hers, he gave her a mock scowl before quieting her cries with a gentle kiss on her forehead. Now done with crying, she scowled back at him. Rey smiled as she noted how similar they were. She may have given her daughter her complexion and hair color, but the rest was all Ben, from her looks to her temperament.

Ben cradled his little daughter against his chest before returning his attention back to his son.

"You were saying something about a mask?"

"Yes, I saw a mask and fire and snow. There were explosions too, I think a lot of people died." Anakin replied gloomily, clinging to his mother.

"What did the mask look like?" Ben asked.

Anakin did his best to describe the silver and black mask under a dark hood, the warped voice, and the fiery blade. Ben's expression darkened and Rey could feel his self-loathing and regret seeping through their bond at the realization of what ghost has haunted their son's latest vision of the past.

"That was a long time ago, Anakin. He can't hurt you now." Ben assured him, covering Rey's hand with his own as it rested on their son's head.

"I know." Anakin replied, "But it was still scary."

"Why don't we try to get back to sleep?" Rey suggested. Anakin agreed and crawled out of her lap and snuggling under the covers beside her. Ben joined them, carefully placing Kiera next to him. With their children safely between them under the warm covers, Ben reached out and cupped his wife's cheek. Their bond electrified at the touch. Feelings of reassurance and affection passed from her mind to his as she smiled at him before leaning over and placing a gentle kiss on his brow, right on the edge of the faded scar that divided his face. He repaid her with a kiss on her lips before they drifted back to sleep.

Anakin awakened. He rolled over to avert his eyes from the morning sun and saw that his family was still sound asleep. The were huddled together with Kiera cradled in his father's arms and his mother snugly curled against his father's back. Spending the night with them had kept the visions at bay, but the ones he had already seen were still burned into his memory, making him feel uneasy even in this moment of familial bliss. Perhaps he should try meditating, he thought, that's what a jedi would do. Anakin quietly slipped out from under the covers and walked back to his room to prepare.

Rey slowly drifted awake, acutely aware of Ben's body pressed against hers. One of her arms was looped around his waist and her leg was curled possessively around his thigh. They fit together perfectly, she thought with a smile, tugging him tighter against her. Ben was roused from sleep by her movements and the thoughts that unconsciously slipped from her mind to his. Even fully awake he was unwilling to interrupt their peaceful embrace; her body felt so small and warm against him. Their daughter was the only one left asleep, he realized. This gave him another reason to remain still; she would likely throw a fit if her sleep were interrupted. Ben would have loved to stay in bed all day with the two of them, but he knew that they had to get up eventually. Rey was the one to finally break away and untangle her limbs from his. She sat up on the mattress and brushed the hair off of Ben's ear before giving it a small kiss. She giggled triumphantly when his ears respond by flushing pink along with his cheeks and neck. "Good morning Ben." she whispered. Ben picked up Kiera with one hand and tugged Rey against him with the other. "Good morning Mrs. Solo." He said with a playful growl. She laughed a bit louder this time, disturbing Kiera and inciting her morning wailing. Rey immediately plucked her out of Ben's hold and began soothing her with sweet words and gentle rocking. It only took a moment to subdue her before Rey placed her back back into her father's arms, giggling happily.

"How do you that?" Ben asked with a smile.

"Do what?"

"Every time she's upset you have her back in a good mood in seconds. All I can do is get her to be quiet at the best of times"

"I've had plenty of practice." Rey replied with a smug smile.

Kylo knew she isn't just talking about Kiera. From the very beginning Rey was the one person to inspire gentleness in him.

"I suppose Anakin went back to his own bed." Ben said, "I suppose the nightmares passed."

"I don't think his visions are something that we can expect to just go away on their own. I believe it's something we need to work through." Rey somberly replied, leaning her head against him comfortingly. She knew this was a sensitive subject for Ben. He spent years atoning for his misdeeds and clearing his name in the eyes others. Now his own son, his new beggining, was plagued by those same misdeeds as well as the actions of his namesake that Ben had once tried to emulate. This wasn't what he wanted. He had kept his family as far from the past as he could, focusing on rebuilding the future instead. He didn't intend for his children to know anything of his past or the past of their great-grandfather and the doomed regimes they had both aligned themselves to in their moments of weakness. He wanted to move past it. Apparently the Force had other plans.

Anakin slipped on his clean robes and selected a cushion from his bed to place on the floor. He then crossed his legs and closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts like he had been taught. Breathing slowly, he concentrated, but was unable to find peace. Instead, the visions from the night before began to bleed into his thoughts. He tried to pull away, but the vision latched onto him, like a beast digging in it's claws. This wasn't the same vision as the night before he realizes, this is something entirely different.

The darkness faded as a little boy appeared before him. He had blonde hair and was wearing tattered brown clothes. He was tinkering with an engine out in the desert sun. The vision changed. The same boy was in a room with a young girl.

"I'm a person and my name is Anakin." he told her stubbornly.

Anakin was taken aback by the boy in the vision referring to himself by his own name. His father had told him he was named for his great-grandfather. Was this him? He wasn't told anything about him other than his name. He tried to call out to the boy, but the vision blurred and shifted to a bright room. There were many men sitting in a circle. All of them wore traditional Jedi robes. One of them was speaking.

"You refer to the prophecy of the one who will bring balance to the force. You believe it's this boy?" He asks.

The darkness creeped in as the men faded from view. Anakin finds himself surrounded by fire and ash. Two men appeared before him on the shore of a lava sea.

"You were the chosen one!" One man shouted, "It was said that you were to destroy the Sith, not join them! Bring balance to the Force, not leave it in darkness!"

The man lowered his voice and spoke again.

"You were my brother Anakin, I loved you."

The man lying broken in the embers was the boy from before, his great-grandfather, Anakin realized with horror.

The next thing he saw was two dark figures. One of them pale and twisted under a black hood, the other in a suit of metal with a black cape billowing behind him.

"Henceforth you shall be known as Darth Vader." the pale one announced.

Labored breathing hissed from the black mask of his dark companion.

The image faded again and was replaced by a dark room where the figure from the night before reappeared. It was sitting across from a mangled mask, the same mask from from before, but now in melted ruins.

"Show me Grandfather, and I will finish what you started." The dark figure pleaded desperately.

The vision panned out to reveal a new location. The black, hooded figure was standing in a forest. It loomed over a small woman. Anakin saw that it was his mother, terrified and immobilized.

"Forget the droid, we have what we need." The figure bellowed, sweeping her into his arms as she collapsed. Anakin screamed but the vision didn't respond. He was unable to keep up with the dark entity's long strides and he watched helplessly as it carried his mother onto a ship before the vision shifted once more. His mother was restrained in a dark, metal room with the masked entity facing her.

"You still want to kill me." It said, it's inhuman voice noticeably gentler than before.

"That's what happens when you're being hunted by a creature in a mask." She bravely replied.

The creature stood and removed its mask to reveal a human face beneath. Anakin froze in shock; it was his father. His face was clean-shaven and missing it's prominent scar, but it was undeniably him. His father cupped his mother's cheek with a gloved hand, their faces intimately close. He spoke of her thoughts as he probed into her mind. Anakin had been told by his parents that they sensed one another's thoughts and feelings, but this was something entirely different, something wrong.

"Don't be afraid, I feel it too." His father whispered gently.

At the end of their mental duel his mother overpowered him.

"You're afraid." She said, "That you'll never be as strong as Darth Vader."

Rey was startled by sound of Anakin calling for her between fits of sobbing. Immediately she placed Kiera in Ben's arms and rushed to Anakin's room. He was huddled on the floor, his arms wrapped around his knees. Rey dropped down next to him and held him close, wiping the tears from his eyes and whispering comforting words.

"What happened, Anakin?" She asked.

Anakin rubbed his teary face on his sleeve before answering.

"I was trying to meditate, but the visions came back." He explained, still shaking in her arms, "I saw my great-grandfather! He was little, like me, but then he was big and scary and a creepy man called him Darth Vader! Then I saw you and…"

Anakin stopped speaking when he saw that his father was standing in his doorway. He had heard Anakin's explanation and now had a pained look on his face. Anakin's tears threatened to spill over again at the sight of him.

"It was you! You were the monster!" He wailed, clutching Rey's arm and pointing accusingly at Ben.

"No, don't say that." Ben pleaded, cautiously stepping toward him, "Don't be afraid."

"I saw you with mommy! What were you doing to her? And why were you trying to talk to your grandpa?" Anakin interrogated him, leaning away as Ben tried to reach for him.

"Come with me, Anakin." He said firmly.

"Go on, it's alright." Rey assured him, lifting him off of her.

Anakin reluctantly stepped towards his father, giving Ben the opportunity to pull him into a comforting hug.

"Don't be afraid Anakin." He whispered, "I won't hurt you."

"But why did you never tell me about great-grandpa? And why were you—"

"Slow down Anakin, I'll explain everything." Ben interrupted, "Let's go somewhere and talk."

Ben Solo tried to construct a proper explanation of his family's troubled past in a way that his young son might understand it. This innocent little boy whose only understanding of the Force and Jedi was peaceful meditation and whose only experience with war was brief flashes of memory from infancy. Now Ben knew Anakin's blissful ignorance is shattered along with whatever idyllic view he had constructed of his father, who until today he had idolized as a brave Jedi, a strong protector, and a role model. Now he knew the truth, or part of it anyway. The rest would be up to Ben to explain. He led him to a quiet room and balanced him on his knee.

"Your vision was correct, Anakin. Your great grandfather, Anakin Skywalker was also know as Darth Vader. He did some terrible things, which I suspect you may have already gotten glimpses of. He was a complicated man. But in the end he turned back to the light and protected his family before he died."

"What about you?" Anakin asked, lifting his teary eyes to meet his father's.

"I made some mistakes, Anakin." Ben said, "I followed the wrong people and I did things I will always regret. But that isn't me anymore, understand? You never have to worry about that monster you saw; he exists only in memories and visions, nothing more. I will never hurt you, your sister, or your mother." Ben's eyes are pleading, searching for understanding in Anakin's face. His son looked so small and vulnerable, so hurt. Ben knows he needed to fix this.

"I saw you and mommy fighting, I saw her crying. Why were you hurting her?" Anakin asked.

Ben let out a heavy sigh and pulled Anakin closer to his chest. How could he make a child understand him and Rey when it took so long to understand it himself. When he first met her she had been a means to an end, a prisoner, but even then he had felt something. At the time he had no words to describe it. Curiosity? Attraction? None of them fit, the only way he could describe it was to compare it to a gravitational force. She had pulled him in, unwittingly forging their bond, and had rewritten their destinies into one. Or perhaps their destinies had always been intertwined? Either way, she had become more than his adversary; she was his equal, his opposite, his obsession, his pull to the light. This scavenger girl who had wrecked his master's plans, hated him with a burning passion, and scarred his face and body, had become the center of his universe, his reason for being. How was he meant to put all of that into words to be understood by the mind of a child? He barely understood it himself after all these years.

"I was wrong, Anakin. Your mother is an amazing woman; she made me see that I was wrong and made me want to change. And I did, for her and for you. I spent a long time trying to make up for everything that I did to her and other people; i'm still trying. I don't deserve your mother, you and your sister, but I try every day to do me best for the three of you; I love you."

Anakin considered the things his father had said. Could a person really change from that frightening monster in his visions to the man he saw now?

"I love you too daddy." Anakin said, burying his face in his father's shirt. Whatever monster he saw in his visions was not his father, not as he was now.

Ben sighed with relief and wrapped his arms around Anakin.

"Are you ready to go find your mother and sister?" Ben asked.

He felt Anakin nod his head against his chest. He gathered him into his arms and made his way to their living area where he found Rey and Kiera waiting patiently on one of the couches. Rey was reclined back with Kiera perched on her chest, giggling happily. Rey pulled Kiera to her lap and straightened herself in her seat. Ben smiled at her reassuringly and took his place beside her. Akakin removed himself from his father's arms, instead moving between his two parents. Kiera looked at him curiously and reached for him with her tiny hands. He extended one of his fingers for his sister to grab onto and placed a small kiss on her head, making her giggle. Ben looked over at Rey, understanding passing between them; she heard everything he had said, she always did. Ben curled his arm around her, pulling their children closer between them. He had spoken the truth: he didn't deserve them, but he loved them with every fiber of his being, and by some miracle they loved him back.

They spent the remainder of the day together as a family in an attempt to rebuild some sense of normalcy. As Rey busied herself by taking her turn cooking dinner, she watched Ben in the next room with Anakin and Kiera. Anakin was perched on his father's lap and cradled his infant sister in his arms. Ben was reading to them from his holopad. The two children looked so small against his impressive size it was almost comical. It always amazed Rey to see him looking so gentle and domestic, so far from the terrifying figure of the past. But even now he was still intimidating to people who didn't know him like she did. His exceptional height, powerful build, and impressive battle-scars were enough to frighten most people, but to Rey he was a gentle, patient father to her children, the man who clung to her possessively each night, the one who shared her thoughts and feelings. H was her soulmate, her other half. Anakin's talk of the past had dug up memories they overcame long ago, but they no longer frightened her. They were simply a reminder of how far Ben had come and how much they had been through together. Rey smiled as she saw Kiera giggling in her brother's arms. Ben looked down at his daughter with affection and amusement before ruffling the brown curls on her tiny head. No matter what memories resurfaced, Kylo Ren was nothing more than a ghost of the past.

After dinner, Rey asked Anakin if he wanted to sleep in their bed for the night. He declined, insisting he was a big boy and could sleep in his own room. Rey and Ben hugged him goodnight before putting Kiera in her cradle. Once she was asleep, Rey and Ben were finally alone. They both knew there were things that needed to be said. Rey decided to speak first.

"You did great today, Ben. I know it wasn't easy to explain all of that to him, but you handled it perfectly." She said, shifting closer to him under the sheets. He drew her closer to allow her head to rest on his shoulder. Placing her hand on his his chest, she continued.

"His visions aren't going to go away on their own. He needs us to help him understand and learn to control them. Perhaps Luke could help us as well."

Ben already knew what she was suggesting and it sounded all too familiar: a force-sensitive boy haunted by the monster in his head, sent away to train as a Jedi as if that would solve all his problems.

"Don't think that way Ben, we're not sending him away and we aren't going to use training as some fix-all solution. It won't be like what happened with you, I promise. He will have us to guide him." Rey said.

But he's so much like I was, Ben thought. The force visions, the potential for greatness, the innocence so easily corrupted.

"Just because he is having visions doesn't mean he's doomed." Rey said, "I had visions too; I saw Luke, my past, my future, and you."

"You didn't have the legacy of the Skywalker line hanging over your head like I did. Thanks to me, that legacy will be an even bigger obstacle for Anakin." Ben reminded her.

"We will make it work." Rey assured him, lifting her hand to his cheek and turning his face to meet her gaze, "We can't let things go on like they are. He needs training and guidance.. We can do this, Ben, together."

Ben finally nodded in surrender before placing his hand over hers. He knew she was right.

Anakin carefully mirrored the lightsaber forms his mother showed him in the training yard. While she wielded a yellow, double-bladed lightsaber, he was given a simple rod to practice with.

"When do I get to make my own 'saber Mother?" He asked while awkwardly attempting to mimic the sweeping motion she demonstrated.

"When you finish your training, sweetheart." She replied with an encouraging smile.

"When will that be?" Anakin asked.

Rey could tell that his question stemmed from curiosity, not impatience. She knew he must have endless questions. Until recently, the only experience with the force and the ways it could be used in combat had been limited to observing what he had seen her and Ben doing, which wasn't very much in these times of peace. That was how Ben kept it until training had become a necessity. Rey understood his reasons; he had vainly hoped for a more peaceful life for his son, free of the conflict and trials that force-sensitivity would inevitably bring about. Preventing conflict and maintaining peace had become not only Ben's personal mission, but his career. He first started down that path as a reluctant informant for the Resistance after his defection and from there had gone on to become a useful asset to the reestablished Republic. All of his work was constrained to low-profile assignments and behind-the-scenes operations to appease the many people who still understandably distrusted him. A public political career like his mother's was completely out of the question. His presence was tolerated due to his experience and unique skill-set; the Republic couldn't simply ignore one of the last living Jedi. At least that's what he and Rey most closely resembled. They had completed their training with Luke, but they knew the old Jedi Order was no more. Perhaps once the galaxy had more time to heal from the devastation of war it could be properly revived, but even then it couldn't be in the same way that it was before. For a start, they were married with children, not celibate monks. Also, neither of them attempted to shut out their emotions like the Jedi of old; Rey stubbornness and passion as well as Ben's temper would be blasphemy in the eyes of the Order as it once was. They were something new entirely and so was Anakin. His clairvoyance was beyond anything seen before. Records Luke had recovered from the remaining Jedi temples told of many Jedi experiencing dreams and visions from the force, like Luke, Ben, and herself, as well as Anakin's namesake had, but never with the frequency and detail that Anakin did. Rey could hardly imagine what he would be capable of once fully trained.

"I don't know when you'll be ready, sweetheart." She finally answered, "We'll have to wait and see."

That night as Anakin slept, a new vision wormed it's way into his dreams. This time he was ready for it. His meditation exercises with his father had fortified his mind and broadened his awareness. It was only a vision; whatever he witnessed couldn't hurt him. He just needed to let the force flow through him and reveal whatever it willed him to witness. A stone structure appeared before him. It was similar in style to the temple in which his family now lived as well as the Jedi temples that he had seen many times in his visions. It was late at night wherever this vision was taking place and he saw no clue to it's exact location. All he could see was a dense forest surrounding it. Anakin saw the figure of a man in a white Jedi robe walking towards the temple. Perhaps this was a vision of the past when Jedi protected the galaxy, Anakin thought. This man was carrying something. Anakin followed him to get a better look at his face to see if he recognized him from other visions. The man did not react to his presence, the visions never did; Anakin knew he is merely an observer. The man had red hair mingled with grey. His face was soft and kind, unremarkable except for a mechanical eye set into his left socket. This didn't alarm him; his father and uncle Luke both had mechanical limbs of their own. Anakin realized he had never seen this man before. Looking down, he saw the man is carrying a baby. Swaddled in a blanket, it's little face peeked out at him. It had bright blue eyes and the wisps of hair on it's head were a pale blonde, a stark contrast to it's dark skin. The baby stared up at the man holding it and began to cry, it's face scrunching together as it whimpered.

"Quiet child, this is your home now." The man commanded with a stern, monotone voice, "There is no emotion, there is peace."

Anakin's vision ended, the baby's cry ringing in his ears.


	2. Chapter 2

Fifteen years had passed since young Anakin Solo began his training. He and his sister Kiera had learned the ways of the force under the guidance of their parents and their great-uncle Luke Skywalker. Rey, Luke, and Leia all continued to openly serve the reestablished Republic while Ben Solo continued to take a less conspicuous role in maintaining galactic peace. The force still granted Anakin visions, but for what purpose, he is still unsure. They consisted of snippets of the past, insight on what was occurring in the present, even light years away, and rarely a small glimpse of events that had yet to occur. They sometimes came about during deep meditation, or even during a quiet moment of reflection, but the most frequent time that the visions appeared was during the night as he slept. This was one of those nights.

A vision of an unidentifiable star system appeared before him and a small ship could be seen in the distance. It was the kind often used by Republic officials; the ship his grandmother used on political missions was similar to this one. Suddenly his vision was alight with the fiery blaze of a plasma cannon blast. It rammed into the side of the ship, obliterating it within seconds. Anakin could sense the dying screams of those onboard as they were ripped apart in the destruction. The vision then shifted. The snowy surface of Ilum came into view. Anakin had visited it once before to harvest the crystal of his lightsaber. A storm was raging. Heavy snowfall flew through the air in the harsh wind. Anakin could faintly make out the figure of a young man trudging through the snowdrifts towards a small ship. He was dressed all in white with a thick fur hood and a heavy scarf that whipped wildly behind him in the wind. The only part of him that didn't blend into his arctic surroundings was his dark face straining with the effort it took to dislodge his boots from the snow with each step. Once he was inside his ship and removed his frost-encrusted outerwear, Anakin could recognise him. It was the boy who so frequently appeared in his dreams. The boy with the bright blue eyes and pale blonde hair that was now tied into a padawan braid. In this vision he appeared to be no older than Kiera. Waiting for him onboard the ship was what Anakin had come to identify as the boy's master; the man with the red hair and the false eye who, like his apprentice, always dressed in white. Anakin still had no idea who they were or even when they had lived. The visions had never revealed a name or any significant conversation between the two of them that would give any clues as to their identities. Even Uncle Luke had been at a loss as to who these strange jedi might be. The next scene that appeared was of a magnificent chamber with two thrones placed at one end. Bright light shone through the faceted windows behind them, illuminating the room. Seated on the thrones were two robed figures whose faces Anakin could not quite make out. One appeared to be a man in white. Beside him was a woman cloaked in black. Their hands were extended to bridge the gap between their two thrones, their fingers intimately intertwining. The couple faded from view and the vision ended. Anakin awoke with a host of questions he knew would likely go unanswered—at least for now.

Anakin made his way toward the kitchen to get something to eat, running into his mother along the way.

"Your father will be home soon." Rey told him, "As soon as he lands we will leave for the senate. Why don't you go tell Kiera to get ready."

"Alright, I'll tell her." Anakin assured her.

"The senators might not let you come back home this time." Rey said with a smile, "You've done so well helping your grandmother, i'm sure they will want you to run for office yourself soon. I'm so proud of you."

"Thank you." Anakin replied half-heartedly.

That wasn't the reaction Rey was expecting; usually a compliment like that would have him glowing.

"What is it, dear?" She asked, resting her hand on Anakin's shoulder.

"Bad dreams." He simply replied.

Rey immediately knew what he meant and decided not to press any further.

"Alright, I'll see you in a little while. Let me know if you need to talk about it." She told him before letting him pass.

After breakfast, Anakin found Kiera outside wildly hacking away at a training dummy with a metal rod that was the stand-in for the lightsaber she hadn't yet made. Luke stood nearby, overseeing her training. Not sensing her brother's presence, Kiera continued her violent, yet tactical onslaught. She grunted and hisses as she channeled her unbridled passion into each powerful swing. Anakin stayed back against the temple wall to observe and keep himself out of her reach. Kiera's long, brown curls flipped behind her as she effortlessly spun her rod through the air before landing one last blow, taking the dummy's head clean off by sheer force of impact. Flinging her pole aside and raising her arms in the air, she let out a triumphant yell that dissolved into satisfied laughter. She finally turned around, startled by the sound of her brother clapping with approval. While she may not have the patience for meditation or mind tricks, she had made great progress with her combat training. She was sure to be a formidable fighter one day—far better than himself, Anakin thought. His long limbs always got in the way and he could never seem to keep his balance, but he had learned to accept that face and focus his energy toward the less physical applications of the force.

"I hate to interrupt you, but Mother told me we will be leaving for the senate as soon as Father arrives." Anakin announced.

Kiera let out a exasperated sigh.

"Why do we have to go to the stupid senate meeting anyway, why can't we just go visit everyone without sitting through all that nonsense?" She grumbled, digging the heel of her boot into the dirt.

"It's a vital part of maintaining galactic peace, and a duty our family has fulfilled for generations." Luke cut in.

"We've also been great warriors for generations." Kiera reminded him, "Now that's the kind of tradition I can get behind."

She then turned to address Anakin once more, "But if you want to sit around and debate taxes and treaties with a bunch of boring old people, be my guest. I hope you enjoy yourself."

Luke made a face, apparently taking offence to the term "old people".

Ignoring her flippant attitude, Anakin continued, "There will be a banquet before the meeting, so be sure you wear something nice."

Kiera waved him off before leaving for her room. From her wardrobe she selected a flowing gown made of burgundy silk with a high, beaded collar. Not wanting to bother with a tedious hairstyle, she decided to let her brown curls hang loose. She placed her gown into the bag she had packed the night before and left her room. Once she entered the main hall she saw her father and mother locked in a tight embrace, happy to be safely reunited after his mission. He had on a formal set of robes and his beard looked recently trimmed.

"Father!" Kiera called out, tossing down her bag and running up to embrace him.

Ben freed one of his arms to bring her in for a hug while still keeping the other arm looped around Rey.

"You look lovely today, dear." He commented.

"Thank you." Kiera beamed, "Now tell me, what were you dealing with this time? Space pirates? Smuggling rings? Hitmen?"

Ben's face immediately fell. His latest mission hadn't been one of the exciting adventures she loved to hear about. Not this time.

"I have some bad news." He gravely replied, "I need everyone to come and listen so we can decide what to do."

Once everyone had collected their things and sat down to listen to what Ben had to say, he began to explain.

"There have been multiple attacks on Republic vessels in the past month. Three senators are confirmed dead along with most of their crews. We don't know who's behind it yet, but we are following every lead we have so far."

Anakin's heart sank; the explosion he had seen in his vision must have been one of the attacks, he realized.

"And we're still going to the senate meeting?" Kiera blurted out in disbelief.

"That's why the meeting is being held." Ben explained, "They need us to be there to protect the senate and our mother and grandmother will need to cast their votes for a course of action. Right now we just need to decide the safest way to get there."

"If they are targeting Republic vessels, we defiantely shouldn't take your ship." Luke pointed out.

"Why don't we take the Falcon?" Rey suggested.

"Does that thing even run anymore?" Kiera asked skeptically.

"It will have to." Ben said with finality.

Ben and Anakin packed the luggage into the Falcon while Rey and Kiera worked to made sure it was still fully functional. Luke busied himself handing them tools as they were needed. Thankfully it didn't need anything beyond a quick tune-up.

"Why do we still have this old thing?" Kiera asked amidst her tinkering.

"It's a part of our family history; you know that." Rey replied, "Your grandfather, grandmother, and uncle Luke flew this when they fought in the rebellion, remember? I flew it for a while as well. Your grandparents fell in love here. Your father proposed to me here. Your brother was even born onboard this ship."

Kiera reacted to her mother's last commenting with a gagging sound. Rey couldn't help but chuckle at her daughter's over-dramatic response.

"Okay, now I _really_ don't want to fly this thing."

"We'll be there before you know it, sweetheart." Rey promised her with a smile.

Kiera smiled back and returned to her work.

Once they had it ready to fly, they all found their places onboard. Rey was in the captain's chair, Kiera was beside her as copilot, and Luke was off meditating alone, leaving Ben and Anakin in the lounge. Instead of engaging in conversation or playing dejarik, Anakin simply slumped back in his seat and stared up at the ceiling. Like Rey, Ben had noticed his son's change in attitude before they had boarded the ship.

"Enough moping, just tell me what's wrong." Ben said, getting straight to the point.

"What am I supposed to do?" Anakin moaned.

"You're going to have to be more specific, kid."

"My visions." Anakin clarified, "I saw the senator's ship being destroyed. I felt everyone onboard it die and I couldn't do anything about it. Why would the Force show me these things if there isn't any way for me to prevent them?"

"It's rarely that simple, Anakin." Ben tried to explain, "It might seem pointless now, but i'm sure you will eventually find meaning in what you see."

Anakin finally looked his father in the eye and gave him a look that told him he was clearly unconvinced. Ben would need to try something else.

"Do you remember me telling you about the visions I had of your mother?" Ben asked, hoping a positive story of force-visions might cheer him up.

"A little." Anakin shrugged.

"I had visions of her for years before I ever met her." Ben began, "I would just be meditating and I'd catch glimpses of a girl i'd never met on some strange planet. Sometimes i'd see her scavenging for scraps inside of an imperial ship, playing alone with her pilot's helmet, or carving endless marks into her wall to count the days she had waited for a family that would never return. She was just some lonely little girl i'd never met, but I had this feeling that she could sense me too. It was if the Force was somehow drawing us together, but I had no idea why. None of it made any sense until the visions started to change. Sometimes I caught glimpses of our future; I saw us together. When I finally found her I thought it would all fall into place, but that wasn't what the force had in mind. That was only the beginning of a long and difficult path."

Anakin leaned in as his father spoke, his dour expression shifting to one of curiosity.

"You might not know why you see these things yet, but I doubt the Force is showing them to you without a good reason."

Anakin found comfort in his father's words. Maybe the boy in his dreams was somehow tied to his own destiny, he thought.

"Thank you." Anakin said, "I'll try to remember that."

Ben affectionately ruffled his son's dark hair. Anakin felt he was a bit too old for such a gesture, but in that moment it didn't matter.

With his renewed perspective, Anakin decided to join his uncle in meditation. This left Ben to reflect on the memories he had just retold; memories from a time when Rey was simply "the girl". He remembered the way she felt in his arms when he carried her for the first time, so light and vulnerable. He remembered forgoing the standard procedures to make sure he had her to himself, unharmed. No stormtroopers, no torture droids, just the two of them. He had been so confident that if he removed his mask and showed her his true face that she would recognise their connection so his envisioned future could play out. But she didn't. Her defenses dropped for a brief moment upon seeing his human face, but it was quickly replaced by loathing as well as fear she was unable to hide. He had spent so many years transforming himself into a monster that that was the only way she was capable of seeing him: just a sad, broken thing worthy only of pity and hatred. Ben sighed heavily, remembering all he had gone through of prove her he could be something other than a monster, to agonizingly peel back the thick layers of darkness he had enveloped himself in to keep out the light. Without Rey, he wouldn't have had the strength to do it. Suddenly, reminiscing about the past wasn't enough; he headed straight for the cockpit. His days of pining from across the galaxy with only their bond to console him were in the past, and while he still looked back on them with bittersweet nostalgia, they couldn't compare to the present.

He found Rey still sitting in the captain's chair. Their course had been set, leaving them little to do until they reached their destination.

"I had a talk with Anakin." His told her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and resting his burying his face in her hair.

"I know." Rey replied, lifting her hand to cover his, "I think you did wonderfully, Ben; you certainly picked a great story to tell."

"I'm going to go change before we arrive." Kiera announced before leaving the cockpit.

She didn't need her brother's foresight to be able to tell they wanted some time alone.

Once Kiera was changed she heard a knock at her door.

"Come in." She called out, finishing the final touches on her hairstyle.

The door was opened to reveal her great-uncle Luke with an inactive lightsaber in his hand. It was their family lightsaber; the one that had passed through each generation of the descendants of Anakin Skywalker: Anakin, Luke, Ben, and finally her brother, until he had made his own. It had been temporarily wielded by others, namely her mother and uncle Finn, but it always found it's way back to their family.

"I think it is time you had this." Luke said solemnly, extending the hilt towards her.

She cautiously took it. It felt surprisingly heavy in her small hands, in physical weight and in what it represented.

"There has been a disturbance in the force, Kiera. Not only from the deaths that have recently occurred, but from what is to come. All of us aboard can sense it, Anakin most of all."

"Of course Anakin can sense it." Kiera replied, suddenly feeling unworthy of the weapon she held.

Luke sensed her hesitation.

"You are a brave young woman, Kiera." He firmly assured her, "You posses great strength in combat and in character. I'm sure you will make us all proud, no matter what the future holds."

The senate was surrounded by a thriving metropolis filled with hundreds of species from countless systems. Everything had to be rebuilt after the war, but it hadn't taken long for the city to spring to life. The senate complex itself was an architectural marvel; it had seemingly endless meeting rooms and banquet halls, apartment complexes for the senators and their guests, and an enormous hangar bay, as well as many recreational attractions. Leia was waiting for her family in the hangar, happily surprised by the ship they arrived in. She hugged each of them in turn, her son last and longest of of all. Ben could have sworn she had gotten smaller since he last saw her. At over eighty years of age, her proud posture wasn't what it once was, but the fire in her eyes had yet to dim.

They had all dressed for the banquet before they landed and it was already underway once they arrived. Leia quickly escorted them to the hall where it was being held. Many senators and other Republic officials stood around the large room politely mingling and sipping their drinks. Anakin couldn't help but notice that there were less people than usual.

"Where is everyone?" He whispered to his grandmother.

"Many people are too afraid to come." Leia explained, "I'm sure some will make an appearance via hologram. Until we figure out who is targeting members of the Republic I expect that will continue to be the case."

"Why are we wasting time with a banquet then?" Kiera cut in, having overheard them.

"For morale. We can't allow these acts of terror to cripple us so easily." Leia confidently replied.

Leia, Luke, Rey, and Anakin all quickly inserted themselves into the crowd, effortlessly mingling with the others while Ben and Kiera kept to themselves.

"I really despise these events." Kiera said with an exaggerated sigh.

"I know that." Ben answered dryly, "You made that quite clear to everyone on the way here, and your sour expression makes it obvious to everyone else in the room."

"Everyone is just so two-faced. It's just a bunch of old people pretending to like each other so they don't break out into an intergalactic war. It's pathetic and petty." Kiera grumbled.

"That's politics, dear." Ben replied, taking another sip of his drink, "But your Grandmother is a senator; surely you don't think she's two-faced or petty."

"No, but she still acts different. Everyone does, come to think of it."

"How so?"

"They all have to act so formal and humorless, and you just stand to the side and try not to frighten anyone for only one who doesn't act different is Anakin; he fits right in." Kiera rattled off.

Ben couldn't help but chuckle.

"All of those things are true, but we all have our reasons. Nearly a third of these people voted for my execution, so you can't blame me for not pushing my luck. I'll leave the family reputation in more capable hands." Ben explained. "Meanwhile, you and I can enjoy the food and judge people from afar." He added with a smirk.

Kiera couldn't help but smile as well.

They would have happily remained on their own for the rest of the evening if Rey hadn't waved for Ben to join her in the crowd.

"It looks like I might be needed after all." He said with a sigh, leaving Kiera to fend for herself.

Not long after he left, Kiera was approached by a young man. She was surprised to see someone her own age.

"I don't believe we have met." He said, extending his hand out to her politely.

She shook it after a brief moment of hesitation. There was something strange about this person, she felt.

"No, I don't believe we have."

"My name is Lavan." He stated impassively, "and you are Kiera Solo, correct?"

"I am." Kiera confirmed as graciously as she could manage.

She found his stilted mannerisms and cold stare unnerving, but decided to ignore her instincts for the sake of diplomacy.

"If there something you wanted to say?" She asked, wanting this conversation over with as soon as possible.

"Not particularly." Lavan replied, "I was just following proper etiquette by introducing myself to you."

"Proper etiquette?"

"You're one of the only people here close to me in age and you didn't look like you were enjoying yourself." Lavan explained.

"I'm not much of a party person." Kiera admitted, "I'm just here with my family. Since you already know who I am, I suppose you know who my family is."

"I do." Lavan nodded.

Across the room, the Solos were talking amongst themselves when they were interrupted by a man's voice.

"Good evening Senator Organa, I hope you are doing well."

Leia turned to face the man who had addressed her. It was Senator Khagan Agri. He was one of the leading members of the Church of the Force, the underground religion dedicated to preserving the Jedi ways. They had quickly grown over the years now that they were no longer suppressed by either the Empire or the First Order and now had followers across the galaxy. Leia's family had been close to many of it's members in the past, including Lor San Tekka, but after his unfortunate death at the hand of her son, they had kept their distance.

"Thank you, Senator Agri." She politely responded, "I am doing very well, especially now that my family has come to see me. My grandchildren are around here somewhere too."

Khagan gave Luke and Rey a polite smile, but avoided making eye-contact with Ben, who couldn't help but notice.

"What a coincidence;my own son came to visit me recently as well. " Khagan said, "He is here tonight, but I'm not sure where he's gotten to."

Anakin was on his way to check on Kiera when the sight of her companion stopped him in his tracks. He knew this young man. That white robe, the dark complexion, the light hair cut short except for the small braid that hung to his shoulder; it was the young man from his vision. He wasn't a figure of the past like Anakin had thought. He was standing right in front of him.


	3. Chapter 3

Amidst the teeming crowd of senators, the Solos continued their polite small-talk with Senator Khagan.

"My son's name is Lavan." He told them, "And what is the name of your children? It must have slipped my mind." He directed his question toward Rey.

"Our daughter is Kiera and our son is named Anakin." She replied.

Khagan's thin smile visibly faltered at the mention of Anakin's name.

"Is something wrong?" Rey asked.

"With all due respect, I'm a bit perplexed by your choice of name for your son. We can't choose our family, that's for certain, but to name your child after a—"

"Our son is named after his great-grandfather." Ben bit out with a edge of hostility he was unable to hold back, "Anakin Skywalker was a great jedi who honorably served the Galactic Republic for many years and deserves to be remembered by his true name. Despite his transgressions he aided in the destruction of the Empire and returned to the light."

"A family tradition, it would seem." Khagan murmured with a patronizing smile.

Ben would have liked nothing more than to crush senator's windpipe for such a snide comment, but the feeling of Rey's fingers lacing through his own brought him back to reality and cooled his simmering temper. He couldn't make a scene here; he was on perpetually thin ice, and always would be among those who remembered him for what he once was. For the sake of his family and galactic peace he would have to endure it.

On the other side of the banquet hall, Kiera was enduring her own obligatory conversation.

"You know my family, but i'm afraid I don't know yours. Who might they be?" She asked Lavan.

It wasn't that she was truly interested, but she felt that it was the right thing to say according to what Lavan had referred to as "Proper etiquette".

"My father is Khagan Agri. He is a senator of the Republic, but he is first and foremost a leader of the Church of the Force." Lavan proudly replied.

Kiera had heard of their sacred order; many of their members had supported the Resistance. After the fall of the First Order, her Uncle Finn had worked with them to find homes for the children who had been captured for the stormtrooper program. They had gained distinction as philanthropic contributors to the rebuilding of the Republic and grown significantly in size and influence.

"I'm surprised our families haven't met before; you'd think that a group dedicated to preserving the old Jedi ways would take an interest in the last Jedi in the galaxy." Kiera said.

"I'm not sure if you are aware, but there are many who object to labeling them as such." Lavan replied matter-of-factly.

"What are you talking about?" Kiera demanded, "My parents both learned the ways of the Force from my great-uncle Luke, the last jedi. He was trained by Obi-wan Kenobi and Yoda, both survivors of the old Jedi Order."

"Who only survived by running and hiding once their fallen apprentice joined the Empire." Lavan added with derision.

"How dare you—"

"It matters not." Lavan interrupted, "Even if they had been trained by the greatest of jedi to ever live, they have still abandoned the Jedi code; your existence is proof of that." He added with suggestive lift of his brow.

Kiera was absolutely livid, her face flushing red in frustrated anger.

"Who would follow all those stupid rules?" she spat.

"I do." Lavan answered cooly.

Kiera was speechless. What did he mean he followed the Jedi Code?

"You didn't think your family had a monopoly on the Force, did you? How presumptuous." Lavan sighed, "My father has taught me the Jedi ways since I was a small child. All existing records of the old Jedi Order are at his disposal. He used them to ensure I was given a comprehensive education and the best possible training."

Kiera stared at him in disbelief; this was ridiculous. Other Jedi? Was that possible? She was too busy fighting the temptation to slam his head against the marble pillar behind them for his earlier comments to think clearly. She might have even given in to such temptation if their conversation hadn't been interrupted by the sound of the heavy doors of the banquet hall bursting open. The crowd turned to see the source of the commotion. A uniformed Republic official stood in the doorway, his eyes wide with terror and sweat beading on his brow. The room fell silent in anticipation. Something was very wrong; that much was clear.

"I regret to inform you all that there has been a new series of attacks against the Republic." The man announced, "Our military bases on Mirren Prime, Coruscant, and Chandrila have been decimated. The Chancellor has decided that the senate shall assemble immediately to discuss a course of action."

Kiera felt bile rise in the back of her throat. Her squabble with Lavan suddenly didn't matter any more. She shoved past him and strode toward her brother who was standing nearby.

"That boy—" Anakin murmured, staring wide-eyed at Lavan who still stood across the room.

"Forget him." Kiera hissed, dragging him by the arm to where their family stood. "We have bigger things to deal with right now."

Leia and Rey joined the rest of the senators in the assembly chamber, leaving Ben, Luke, Anakin, and Kiera to await their return in Leia's apartment. While Ben could see and hear all that Rey did, the rest of his family could only speculate as to what was happening. Kiera stripped off her gown and replaced it with a simple black tunic and a comfortable pair of pants before choosing a place for herself on one of the stiff couches of the sparsely decorated apartment. Across from her, Ben occupied himself by eavesdropping on the senate meeting through his wife's senses. Sitting next to him, Anakin still appeared visibly shaken. Kiera attributed this to the announcement of the recent attacks.

There wasn't much do here; these senatorial apartments were meant to be convenient, temporary housing for when the senate was in session and therefore weren't equipped to entertain a teenage girl. To pass the time, Kiera pulled DT-77 out of her bag and powered her on. DT was an espionage droid Kiera had found among her grandfather's old belongings and had convinced her grandmother to let her keep. The droid fit in the palm of her hand and consisted of a black durasteel sphere with two magnetically fitted, diamond-shaped wings, making her look like a cross between an upsilon-class shuttle and a tie fighter. Once powered on, DT sprang to life with a deep metallic growl that was comically ill-fitting for her tiny body. The single lens imbedded in the center of her sphere lit up and her propulsion system levitated her above her master's palm. Keira smiled and gave her an affectionate tap on her glossy exterior. The two of them would have to find their own entertainment. With her father's permission and the stipulation that she not leave the heavily guarded senate complex, Kiera decided to do a bit of exploring.

Inside the enormous senate chamber, Rey and Leia sat in their seats while the meeting droned on with no end in sight and no solution thus far. They had lost nearly a tenth of their military forces in the attacks, leaving them vulnerable and desperate. Finally, Senator Khagan Agri stood to present his proposal. Lavan sat next to him, quietly observing the senate proceedings as his official protegee. Khagan's voice amplifier projected his soft voice throughout the room as he spoke.

"As a member of this senate and an emissary for the Church of the Force, I believe I may hold a viable solution to our current crisis." He began, "In the days of the Old Republic, the government whose principles have guided our own, the Force was a key component to maintaining galactic peace. I believe the the time has come for the Force and those who wield it to take their rightful place in our reestablished Republic. At this very moment my church has thousands of members, trained in ancient combat techniques and ready to lay down their lives for galaxy. While they might not be true Jedi, they are still formidable fighters and loyal citizens of the Republic. I propose that you allow me to send them to our remaining military outposts to offer additional support. Perhaps, with the Force on our side and the resources of the Republic, we may be able to discover who is responsible for these despicable acts of terror."

Leia noticed her daughter-in-law flinch beside her, her face twisting in frustration for a brief moment. She gave Rey a questioning look.

"It's Ben." Rey explained, waving off Leia's concern.

He didn't trust Khagan or his church and didn't like the idea of him gaining more influence than they already had. Admittedly, Rey shared his suspicions. For a long while the room buzzed with conversation as the senators spoke amongst themselves, only stopping when Chancellor Paraxis, an elderly, green twi'lek, rose to address the room.

"We will now put it to a vote." He intoned.

All of the earlier proposed courses of action had been voted on, each one being struck down. Rey and Leia tapped their vote onto the console in front of them, both of them voting against the proposal. The majority of the senate did not share their reservations it would seem; the motion passed. Once Chancellor Paraxis announced the result, the room erupted in thunderous applause.

Kiera had found it difficult to enjoy her exploration of the complex. Her earlier conversation with Lavan kept replaying in her mind, the unanswered questions that had arisen from it gnawing at her until she saw no other solution than to confront him and get the answers she sought. She assumed his apartment would be the best place to look for him and consulted the directory to find where he and his father were staying. She quickly found it and rapped on their door. She practiced her questions in her head as she waited for someone to come to the door, but no one did. She knocked again, harder this time, to no avail. He apparently wasn't home, but that wasn't about to stop her; Kiera was far too impatient for that. After looking to make sure she was alone in the long corridor, she turned to DT who hovered beside her.

"You know what to do, girl." She told her with a mischievous grin.

DT whirred in response and lowered herself to the door's entry pad.


	4. Chapter 4

DT-88 was a very rare and powerful model of droid. She was a lost relic of the First Order, as Ben had confirmed, broken and forgotten for years on Han Solo's ship. When Kiera picked her out of a pile of old junk, she had felt strangely drawn to the little black object before she even knew what it was. Whether it was one of the rare instances when Kiera tapped into the force, or if it's strange shape had simply stood out to her among the rusted remains of her grandfather's various misadventures, she was unsure. When her grandmother had allowed her to take it, Kiera didn't know what to expect when she cleaned it up. After she performed a few tweaks and some minor repairs to get her running again, Keira had been amazed by the power the little droid possessed. DT had the best hacking, decryption, and data-mining capabilities of any droid Kiera had ever encountered. Han Solo must not have known what he had in his possession or else he could have sold it for a fortune.

DT's probe extended from her spherical body and inserted into the entry pad of Senator Khagan Agri's apartment. With a few whirls and clicks, DT had it unlocked. Kiera carefully pushed open the heavy door and stepped into the dark room. Lavan and his father were nowhere to be found, as Kiera had expected. Kiera turned on the lights to see that their apartment was even more dull than her grandmother's. While Leia's rooms were finely furnished and had at least some color in it's decorating scheme, this one was positively bleak. There were no decorations and hardly any furniture and what was there was all in various shades of grey, brown and white; it was as if the place was designed by a tasteless droid. Truthfully, it felt like just the sort of place Kiera would have pictured Lavan living in. There were no personal belongings left out in the open. Kiera would have assumed they hadn't been there at all if it weren't for the luggage stacked on one side of the room. There was something wrong with these people; Lavan had said they studied and followed ancient Jedi practices, but she had a bad feeling that there was something more than the purging of emotions at play here. Kiera had to investigate. She told herself it was her duty to look into a possible threat, but she knew that it was partly her curiosity getting the better of her. She had DT scan their luggage. DT reported with a grunt that the two bags on the top of the pile were just changes of robes and ordinary toiletries, but the silver case beneath them carried suspicious metal items.

The lock wasn't a mechanical one, rendering DT's capabilities useless. Kiera saw no conceivable way to pick it or break it with the items she had on hand, leaving her 'saber as her last option. She detached her family heirloom from her belt and carefully held it out in front of herself before activating it. It gleamed a blazing shade of blue and hummed as she swiped it through the air and deftly sliced open the padlock. Hopefully they would assume they had simply forgotten the lock or hat the other person had removed it, Kiera thought as she shoved the remains of the lock into her satchel. After deactivating her lightsaber and returning it to it's position on her belt, Kiera crouched down to the strange box and pried it open. Inside were two very distinct metal weapons. They weren't the exact same as the ones carried by her family, but they were unmistakably lightsaber hilts. One had a shining chrome hilt with a practical design while the other was white with a matte finish, giving it the appearance of bleached bone. It was slightly curved and had an intricate pattern inlaid in silver around the base. Thumbing the more decorated one to life, Kiera was shocked to see that it emitted a pure white blade. She quickly turned it off and tried out the other one; it too has a blade of blinding white light. Kiera replaced the weapons in their case and stepped back from them. Levan hadn't been exaggerating when he said he followed the old Jedi ways. She knew she shouldn't be so surprised by this discovery, but the 'sabers had felt so wrong in her hands. Kiera had heard of lightsabers calling to people, but these two seemed to be sending the opposite message. They were as cold and foreboding as their owners; lifeless and adorned in pure white.

In an attempt to shake the sickening feeling that threatened to overpower her, she turned her attention to the computer on the other side of the room. On Kiera's orders, DT made quick work of their security and displayed their data files on the computer's viewscreen. The first thing to come up was their itinerary showing the systems they had passed through on their journey to the senate. Irrelevant information, Kiera decided. Before she could switch to another file, DT interrupted her with an angry buzz. She informed her master that the file on their point of origin had considerably higher firewalls in place before she had decrypted it, and therefore it was likely a point of interest. Kiera shrugged, conceding that an espionage droid would know better about these sort of things. She had DT preform a system-wide search to discover more information. DT blurted out a deep, mechanical growl before projecting the data she had uncovered. It was the schematics of a large ship. It was clearly not a Republic ship; the design was all wrong. The bulk of its structure was thin and flat with a large, oblong dome at the center. It's most striking feature was an enormous tower that jutted up from the flat surface of the ship, tapered and sharp, like a knife piercing the ship's hull. DT read off some basic technical information, including its approximate size. It was as big as a large city or even a small planet, Kiera realized.

"Make a copy and then let's get out of here before they get back." Kiera commanded, her confidence wavering. She didn't want them catching her searching through their files. DT gave an affirmative buzz before following orders and following her master out the door.

Back in the hall, Kiera let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Why she felt so shaken, she was unsure. It wasn't as if she had never snuck into places she wasn't meant to. In fact, it could almost be considered a hobby of hers; her overgrown curiosity and DT's skillset were a killer combination. But whether it was the recent attacks or the feeling she had gotten from Lavan and his father, she knew she didn't want anything to do with them. For once, she would need to be responsible and relay her discoveries to her parents so they could handle it. She started on her way to do just that when she spotted a familiar face around the next corner.

"Uncle Poe?" She called out.

Poe Dameron turned around at the sound of her voice, his face lighting up. Kiera quickly closed the gap between them and threw her arms around him.

"I haven't seen you in ages." She said, "What are you doing here?"

"After we got work that the bases were destroyed I came as a representative of the Republic military." He explained.

"Admiral, we need to get going if we are going to make it on time." The officer behind him urged politely.

"He's right, Kiera." Poe said with a resigned sigh, "Tell everyone I said hello, and that I promise to catch up with them tomorrow."

Keira nodded disappointedly and let him continue on his way. As she watched him walk off, his subordinates following close behind, Kiera reminded herself that he too was obligated to put on a mask and play a part for the sake of the galaxy. He wasn't Uncle Poe here; he was Grand Admiral Dameron. He had a job to do like everyone else.

When Kiera neared her destination, she heard raised voices drifting down the corridor. She saw that a small crowd had formed outside the door to her grandmother's apartment consisting of the Chancellor and a few senators, including Khagan Agri. Her father stood among them with a frightening expression on his face, his long arms making sweeping gestures as he spat out his words.

"You are making a mistake." He declared, directing his rage toward the Chancellor.

A few of the senators backed away carefully as he spoke, as if to cower behind their stony-faced superior. Khagan was not among them; he stood bravely next to Chancellor Paraxis as he attempted to make Ben see reason.

"It has already been voted on." Paraxis said firmly, "Senator Agri's organization will lend us their support while we rebuild our ranks and find out who is responsible for these attacks. If you are so suspicious of the church's motives or methods, why don't you help them; surely they could use a force-sensitive as powerful as yourself."

"No." Khagan cut in, "I apologize for contradicting you, Chancellor, but our leadership severed ties with the Skywalker line many years ago and have no wish to reestablish them. No Republic pardon can ever bring back those we lost at the village of Tuanul. Our members would never accept any help he has to give."

Ben's eyes narrowed at the mention of the village where he had found and killed Lor San Tekka, one of the church's most prominent members; the village he had ordered to be slaughtered by the troopers of the First Order. Ben turned his attention back to Khagan and would have had a hard time restraining himself had it not been for the voice of his daughter echoing through the hall.

"What's going on?" She asked, rushing to his side.

Her hazel eyes staring up at him with concern melted away the worst of his rage. He gently pulled her closer, placing himself protectively between her and the others.

"Go find your mother." He commanded, opening the apartment door and gesturing inside.

Once she complied, he turned back to the men in front of him "This isn't over." He growled.

"Is that a threat?" Khagan asked.

Instead of answering, Ben joined his daughter inside his mother's apartment and slammed the door behind him. He knew that anything he might have said would only make things worse in the mood he was in.

"Have you gone completely mad?" Rey asked, her arms folded in front of her.

"I'll deal with them tomorrow." Ben promises, his voice infinitely gentler that before.


	5. Chapter 5

Unsure of what sort of argument she had just intruded upon, Kiera was hesitant to complicate things further by revealing what she had found in Lavan's apartment. She was tempted to go straight to bed and pretend it was all a wild daydream, but she knew better than to keep something like this to herself.

"I have something in DT's files I think you should see." She announced, turning toward her mother.

"It will have to wait until morning, dear." Rey replied, too preoccupied to focus on yet another problem, "For now we all need some sleep."

Rey looked exhausted, and Ben looked like he was ready to blow a gasket; his hands were tightly balled into fists at his sides and a deep crease had formed on his brow. Perhaps sleeping on it was the best option, Kiera thought. Once again, she internally cursed the senate and for disrupting her family; she couldn't wait for this trip to be over so they could all go home.

"Alright, I'll put a copy on your datapad for later." Kiera sighed, "But don't forget, it's really important."

Rey managed a tired smile and pulled Kiera in for a hug. The stress of the day seemed to melt away just the smallest bit in their embrace.

"Where's everyone else?" Kiera asked, noticing that her parents were the only ones in the room aside from herself.

"They're already in their beds, which is where all of us should be." Ben answered before exiting the room.

"Alright, i'll see you in the morning then." Kiera called after him before heading for her bedroom.

Rey followed her husband into their room to see him ripping the restrictive robes from his body. He unceremoniously tossed them into a corner, leaving him completely bare, before wordlessly crawling under the covers. Rey followed his lead. Turning to look at him, she saw that he had exiled himself to one side of their large bed, a tense lump of fury wrapped tightly in the silk sheets. He was facing away from her, but even if she couldn't see his face she could still feel the rage radiating off of him.

"Ben, i'm sorry I snapped at you earlier." She whispered gently, reaching out to touch him.

His back tensed before she even made contact, causing her to instinctively withdraw.

"Don't apologize, I was out of line." He whispered back.

"It doesn't matter now, just get over here so we can sleep." Rey said, impatiently patting the empty stretch of mattress between them.

In response he rolled over to face her. He still had on a scowl, but it was less severe than it had been before. He slowly inched closer and awkwardly placed himself near her so she could nestle herself next to him. Their bodies were warm against one another, save for the cool metal of Ben's prosthetic arm, and they felt their bodies begin to relax and release the tension that had built up throughout their stressful day. They always slept like this, their bodies as tightly intertwined as their thoughts. With Ben's heart beating steadily against her own, Rey's mind reached out to him, willing away his anger and frustration. It seemed to be working. He pulled her tighter against him, burying his face in her neck and pressing a hot kiss over her pulse. Rey ran her fingers through his dark hair and couldn't help but notice the streaks of grey he had accumulated in his fifty-two years.

They eventually fell asleep with their limbs twisted together and the sheets tangled around them. It might have been a restful night if they weren't woken in the middle of the night by a loud banging at the apartment door. Ben bolted upright, bringing Rey with him, her arms still looped around his neck. She let out a disoriented groan before fully awakening. They heard another loud knock. Ben slipped on a pair of grey pants and a dark mauve tunic before leaving the room to investigate. Rey followed suit. The rest of the Solo-Skywalker family had been similarly awoken and had gathered in the living room. The banging continued. Ben cracked to door to see two uniformed guards standing outside. One stepped forward and pushed the door open the rest of the way.

"Ben Solo, we need you to come with us right away." The guard said, casually resting his hand on his weapon.

"And why is that?" Ben demanded, "What could possibly warrant you coming here in the middle of the night?"

"You are needed for questioning about an incident that has recently occurred." The guard replied evenly, trying to appear unfazed by the scarred, threatening face that loomed over him.

"And what incident might that be?" Ben asked impatiently.

"That is classified."

"Is it now?" Ben asked dryly before probing into the guard's unsuspecting mind with a wave of his hand. Normally, Ben wouldn't resort to this, but he was far too tired and frustrated for self-control. The guard grunted from the pain the intrusion caused while his companion stood frozen by the Force exerted by Ben's other hand. The guards face, previously stoic, had dissolved into one of sheer terror as he helplessly looked on as his companion was mentally interrogated.

Ben quickly found the incident they had spoken of. The chancellor was dead, murdered in his private quarters. He saw the corpse they had found. He had been savagely gutted, leaving behind bloodless, smouldering rifts in his green flesh that could only come from the plasma blade of a lightsaber. They meant to pin this on him. Searching further, he saw the plans they had for him: a tiny cell, a sham of a trial, public execution. Ben wasn't about to let that happen. With a wave of his hand he sent the two guards flying against the wall with a powerful Force push. The one whose mind he had invaded was knocked unconscious. The other guard was not so lucky; the cracking of bones echoed in the corridor as his side took the force of the impact, breaking his arm and leg in multiple places.

"What are you doing?" Leia shrieked.

Ben's head snapped back to see that her concern was reflected on the faces of the rest of his family.

"The chancellor was found murdered by wounds inflicted by a lightsaber." He frantically explained, "The think it was me. We all need to get to the Falcon before more of them show up; it isn't safe for us here."

"Leaving now would only make you look guilty." Luke pointed out, "We should stay here and cooperate with the investigation."

"Trust me, Uncle. These people have no intention of giving me a fair trial." Ben replied bitterly.

Luke nodded. They all knew he was right; many of the senators would love to see him eliminated and now they had the perfect excuse to do so. Ben didn't blame them; they had all lost a great deal to the First Order, and some of them by his own hand. He was remorseful, but that didn't mean he would let them rip apart his family for their revenge.

"Then let's all get moving." Rey agreed.

"No, I should stay." Leia objected, "Someone needs to stay behind and explain all of this."

Ben wanted to argue, but he knew she was right. No matter what they thought of him, the senators trusted his mother. And unlike the rest of her family, they couldn't possibly blame her for the assassination; she had never used a lightsaber in her life. Without someone to vouch for him in his absence, his family would have a permanent target on their backs. They still might, but at least this way they had a chance. They all said their reluctant goodbyes before resuming their escape.

As they made their way to the hangar bay where the Falcon was docked they heard footsteps nearby. Two more guards rounded a corner and faced them. Realizing they had found their targets, the two men aimed their blasters at Ben's head.

"Stand down!" One of them commanded.

Kiera boldly stepped forward and with a jerk of her hand the two guards were violently thrown against a nearby pillar, rendering them unconscious. Kiera's face bore a proud smirk; she might not be as skilled with the force as Anakin, but when it came to combat she definitely had him beat.

"Kiera, be careful!" Rey scolded her, "You could have killed them. We don't want this situation to get an worse than it already is."

"Sorry, I panicked." Kiera apologised before retrieving the blaster that had fallen from the guard's hand.

She had her lightsaber tucked into her belt, but she didn't want to leave a weapon for the guard to use if he woke up. Ben had the same idea and used the Force to pull the other guard's blaster into his own hands. They didn't see any more guards until they reached the entry to the hangar. There were three guards posted outside, their weapons raised and faces alert. Before Ben or Kiera could do anything rash, Rey turned to her family and whispered "Stay here and let me handle this."

While they hung back out of sight, Rey bravely walked up to the guards.

"You will forget that you saw me and let me and my family pass." She calmly compelled them with a wave of her hand.

Their eyes glazed over before repeating her command and lowering their weapons. Rey motioned for the others to follow her into the hangar where the Falcon was waiting.


	6. Chapter 6

Rey piloted the Falcon out of the planet's atmosphere while Ben made the necessary calculations for them to make the jump to lightspeed.

"What are we going to do once we get home, Ben?" Rey asked uneasily.

"I'm not sure." He sighed, "I haven't planned that far yet."

"Perhaps your mother can make the senators see reason." Rey offered, "There has to be surveillance footage or fingerprints, something that would clear up this mess."

"I'm sorry I got us into this."

"Don't." Rey reached across the controls to place her hand over his."Don't blame yourself. Blame whoever really killed the chancellor."

"But they wouldn't have come after me if I hadn't lost my temper in front of everyone." He replied.

"You said he was murdered using a lightsaber." Rey said, "Just with that bit of evidence they would have found a way to blame you."

"I guess you're right." Ben sighed, "Now we just need to figure out who got their hands on a lightsaber. It couldn't have been an ordinary assassin."

Before Rey could respond, their conversation was cut short by a heavy hit that shook the ship and threw them from their seats.

In the main hold, Kiera saw for herself what had hit them. A pointed section of a strange ship had imbedded itself in the Falcon's hull just a few feet away from where she sat. She clung to her seat to steady herself as the ship shook from the impact while she tried to process what was happening. The offending spacecraft had ripped through the side of the ship and had done enough damage to disable all of the lights and set off just about every warning alarm the ship had. Over the blaring noise Kiera could hear her parents in the cockpit panicking in their attempts to stabilize the ship and prevent them from plummeting back down to the planet's surface, but Kiera knew it was a waste of time as long as whoever was piloting the strange ship was still after them. Obviously someone had been alerted to their escape and was desperately trying to prevent it. Before their pursuers could do any more damage, Kiera decided to do her part to protect her family in the best way she knew how. She drew her lightsaber from her satchel and ignited it. The blade's light illuminated the dark wreckage as Kiera cut into the hull of the mysterious ship, putting her whole weight behind her as she strained to carve herself an entrance. Once she had made enough progress she was able to cave in the chunk of the craft to make enough of an opening for her to crawl through. Once inside, she was greeted by an empty corridor bathed in artificial light. She wasted no time in her search for their attackers as she ran through the halls of the ship. Unless this was an unmanned drone, there would have to be someone in the cockpit, Kiera assumed. After a moment of searching, she came upon a large door that looked like it might be what she was looking for. Behind it she could hear muffled voices that she was barely able to understand.  
"Why is it taking so long?" Once voice asked impatiently.  
"I've got it now." Another voice answered, "It will just take a few more moments to detonate."  
Kiera pressed the door's release and desperately begged for it to open; it sounded like they didn't have much time left.

The door slid open with a mechanical hiss, revealing two figures at the ship's controls. They turned around, having heard her intrusion, and revealed themselves as Senator Khagan Agri and his son, Lavan. So she had been right about them, Kiera realized.  
"You!" Lavan sneered before throwing his hand out in front of him.  
Kiera shrieked as she was violently yanked toward him by the Force, causing her to drop lightsaber which was extinguished as it hit the floor. Lavan pinned her against him with her hands behind her back while his father picked up her 'saber and tucked it into his belt. Kiera thrashed violently in Lavan's grasp, kicking and screaming with all the strength she had, but he was too strong for it to do any good. As a last resort, she lowered her mouth to his forearm and bit down. He screamed and reflexively threw her away from him. She had broken skin and could taste his blood in her mouth. She spat it at his feet before he regained his composure and immobilized her with a wave of his hand.  
"What should I do with her?" Lavan asked, turning to his father.  
"She may be of use to us." Khagan said, "If not, we may dispose of her later. I'll leave her to you for now."  
Suddenly a familiar voice filled the cockpit.  
"Let her go." Luke commanded, his green lightsaber in hand.  
With all of the commotion Kiera had caused, none of them had heard him approach and her screams had made it easy for him to find her.  
"Lower your weapon," Khagan said, "Unless you want my son to snap your grand-niece's little neck."  
Lavan obediently directed his hand toward Kiera, ready to make good on his father's threat if needed. Unable to speak or even scream, Kiera looked on in horror as Luke reluctantly lowered his weapon. Hot tears streamed down Kiera's face as Khagan chuckled with satisfaction. He drew his own lightsaber from his belt and ignited the pale blade before lifting it threateningly close to Luke's face, bathing it in white light.  
"Your family has ravaged this galaxy for too long." Khagan bellowed, "Without you, the force can finally be brought into balance."

Luke looked away from Khagan and instead turned his gaze toward Kiera.

"The Force will be with you always." Luke said with a brave smile and tears beading in the corners of his eyes.

Keira thought back to all the times he had spoken variations of that phrase throughout her life.

Kagan ran him through, his blade piercing his gut and protruding from his back. Kiera mustered the willpower to break Lavan's hold just enough to cry out in helpless anguish. Instead of hitting the ground once Khagan extinguished his lightsaber, Luke's body evaporated as if it had never existed, leaving his empty robes to fall to the ground.

"Get her to the escape pods while there's still time." Khagan shouted as he retrieved Luke's lightsaber and placed it next to his own on his belt.

He was visibly shaken by Luke's disappearance, but knew they did not have time to dwell on it now.  
Lavan wordlessly nodded and gathered Kiera up in his arms and carried her to one of the small escape pods imbedded in the wall of the cockpit. They were designed to accommodate only one humanoid, but Kiera was small enough that Lavan managed to fit them both. Khagan took the pod next to them.

With a few taps of the pod's console, they were jettisoned into space. From the way that Kiera was positioned, she was able to see out the small round window in the side of the pod. She helplessly watched as the Khagan's ship self-destructed, blowing apart the side of the Millennium Falcon. There was now nothing left to protect Kiera's family from the deadly vacuum of space. Seeing the agony on her face, Lavan brushed his fingers over her forehead, using the force to render her unconscious.

Ben Solo awoke to a throbbing pain in his shoulder and a mechanical sound ringing in his ears. When he opened his eyes, he was forced to squeeze them shut again to avoid the blinding artificial light that flooded his vision.

"Rey?" He croaked, blindly groping around in his disoriented state.

A firm hand pressed down on his chest, urging him to lay back down on what felt like a thin mattress.

"Easy, Easy." A familiar voice murmured, "Rey's sleeping right over there. She was hurt pretty bad, but she's going to be alright. Same goes for Anakin."

It was Poe Dameron. Ben winced as he tried to adjust his eye's to the light and search for his family. Just as Poe had told him, he saw that Rey and Anakin were asleep on two patient beds on the other end of the small room that looked like it was part of a medical ward. Anakin had bandages around his legs and his pale face was covered in purple bruises. Other than that, he appeared unharmed. His chest rose and fell in a peaceful rhythm. Next to him, Rey was in a far more distressing state; a bandaged stump was all that remained of her left hand and she was hooked up to some sort of breathing apparatus. At the sight of her, Ben panicked and tried to lift himself from his bed and go to her, only to realized his was also missing a limb. The pain his his shoulder was apparently due to the fact that his prosthetic arm had been ripped from its socket. There were also a series of tubes inserted into his side pumping what looked like bacta into his system.

"Rey's going to be fine, the medical droids have her stabilized and she'll wake up once the bacta gel does it's work." Poe assured him.

"Where's Luke and Kiera?" Ben asked.

"I'm so sorry Ben, but Luke is gone. We aren't sure what happened exactly, but Leia felt his death through the force and sent me after you. I found your ship and pulled you in with the tractor beam. We're aboard my ship now and the remains of the Falcon are in the hangar bay.  
"And Kiera?" Ben asked.

Poe gave him a look that told him that the answer wasn't what he wanted to hear.

"Where is my daughter?" Ben demanded, lifting his body upright with his remaining arm.

"We didn't find her in the wreckage." Poe admitted, defeatedly burying his face in his hands and threading his fingers through his graying curls. "I'm so sorry Ben."

Ben's vision turns red. He roughly ripped the tubes from his body and snatched the small machine they had been attached to. He threw it at the wall, shattering it, before letting out a sound that is part frustrated yell and part heart-wrenching sob. He heaved his sore and broken body off of the bed and made his way to Rey's side.

Rey's mind, under the influence of her injuries and the work of the medical droids, floated through time as memories danced through her head. The first memory was back on Luke's island. Ben, still Kylo Ren in this snippet of time, was with her in a dark cave as they waited out the heavy storm that raged outside. Rey shivered in her thin clothes, which were soaked through from the storm. Ben took his cloak from his back and pulled it over her. She instinctively tensed at his proximity, but accepted his thoughtful gesture just the same. When the storm refused to let up after hours of downpour, they were forced to huddle together for warmth. Rey had been frightened at first when he pulled her to him and joined her under his cloak, but once he made it clear that it was for their survival and that he wasn't going to hurt her, she allowed herself to relax in his embrace. She found comfort in their strange truce and could sense that he did as well. Rey didn't recall just how their interaction had escalated, but she remembered what it had led up to. Ben hovered over her with his hands on the ground by her head and his knees on either side of her hips. His damp forehead was pressed against hers as his eyes bore down into hers. His eyes are conflicted, hungry, and pleading. Rey could sense he was unsure of what to do next; she knew full well what he wanted to do, but he still harbored the suspicion that she would drive a 'saber through his heart if he dared to go a step further. Growing tired of their little standoff and unable to bear the tension that was building between them, Rey pulled his lips roughly to hers. It took him a moment to recover from the initial shock before looping his arms around her and pulling her body against his.

In the next memory, Anakin is there and had yet to be given a name. Ben had begged his guards to let him see them and Rey had allowed it, despite her friends' objections. That was that moment when Ben finally met Anakin for the first time. Rey was sitting with him bundled up in her arms as Ben approached her. Even now they weren't quite allies, despite what had transpired between them; Rey isn't sure what they are. All she knows for certain is that they are parents to the precious little boy sleeping in her arms. What Ben intended to do about that fact, she was still uncertain. As she pulled back the blanket to reveal Anakin's pink little face, Ben's eyes go wide and he stops mid-stride. He stared at his son as if he hadn't fully believed he was real until now. His eyes meet Rey's and she gives him a look that told him to come closer. He obliged and bent down to get a better look at him. Ben brushed his massive hand against Anakin's cheek and at his touch, Anakin's tiny hazel eyes flickered open and stared up at him. Ben's stony expression melted into one of longing and love as his thoughts and feelings begin to flood his bond with Rey, making his intentions clear and bringing a smile to her face.

In the next memory, there is more between Rey and Ben than a mysterious bond and a shaky alliance for the sake of their son. Snoke is dead, the First Order has fallen, and they are finally safe. The three of them are on-board the Falcon, still whole and operational, and are flying through hyperspace toward home. Anakin, now a fast-growing toddler, was curled up asleep on Rey's lap.  
"I can't believe it's finally over, we made it." she breaths, drawing Anakin closer to her chest and placing a gentle kiss in his dark hair.  
"Yes, you and Anakin are safe." Ben whispered.  
Rey lifted her head to give him a questioning look. Why had he excluded himself?  
"You can't expect everyone to just forgive me and welcome me back, Rey." He said, "I'm certain many will still demand that I pay for my crimes, perhaps I'll even have a formal trial."  
"But you helped us defeat the First Order, you killed Snoke."  
"And countless others." Ben reminded her.  
Rey knew he was right. They weren't finished just yet, but she would protect Anakin and stand by Ben until her family was safe and free to live in peace.  
"Family?" Ben asked, having heard her thoughts. She had never used that word to describe him before. Ben glanced over at Anakin cradled in his mother's arms, blissfully unaware of all that had happened. His existence had been an accident, but now Ben couldn't imagine life without him.  
"I know we didn't mean to-I'm so sorry-" Ben couldn't seem to properly convey his thoughts, "I'll make sure you two are taken care of, but you don't have to stay with me out of some sort of obligation. You deserve to be happy and surrounded by your friends, but I don't know if I can be a part of that."  
"I'm not with you out of some sort of obligation and I'm not letting you go again, no matter what happens." Rey firmly assured him.


	7. Chapter 7

It was a long journey from the Senate to the Republic base on D'Qar. Poe spent this time trying to figure out what to do with the remaining Solos who were stowed away on his ship; someone wanted them dead and without knowing who, he had no way to ensure their safety once they landed. The D'Qar base was sure to be restructured after the recent loss of the Republic bases and the countless Republic fighters and officials who had perished with them. Their ranks were soon to be supplemented by members of the Church of the Force, and with the base expecting so many new faces, Poe decided it was best to keep the Solos' arrival quiet for now.

Poe lifted his gaze to find Ben in the same place he had been for hours. He was crouched protectively close to Rey's unconscious body, her remaining hand in his as he brushed his thumb back and forth over her knuckles. His face was expressionless, but his eyes swam with something dark and unsettling as he stared off into the distance. Poe decided it was best not to press him for questions at the moment. If Poe was to help Ben find out who had targeted his family, he would need to know all that he could, but Ben was understandably useless in his present state.

Even after all these years, there was something strange and inhuman about Ben Solo, something obsessive and destructive. Perhaps it was a holdover from his time spent under Snoke's influence or maybe it was just an inherent part of him, Poe wasn't sure, but he was grateful that they were now on the same side. He wasn't sure what Rey saw in him or how she had managed to tame his turbulent nature, but his loyalty to his family was indisputable.

The uncomfortable silence in the med bay was broken by the synthesized voice of one of the medical droids beside Rey's bed.

"The patient is showing signs of movement and is regaining consciousness." It announced.

Ben snapped out of whatever trance he had been in to expectantly watch over Rey as she awoke. She shifted her bruised limbs and gave a weak whimper as she came to. Once her eyes flickered open they immediately found Ben's. He cracked a small smile of relief and eased the breathing apparatus off of her face before pressing his palm against her cheek.

"Where am I?" she asked, her voice weak and her throat raw.

"You're safe." Ben said, bringing himself even closer to her side, "Poe rescued us."

"Us?" She asked, still clearly disoriented.

Her eyes darted around the room, taking in her unfamiliar surroundings and instinctively searching for her children. She found Anakin and her eyes widened in horror upon seeing his injuries. Ben's expression immediately fell. There was no avoiding the terrible news now that she was awake.

Not wanting to intrude on their bittersweet reunion, Poe slipped out the door to give them some privacy.

"What happened?" Rey asked, "Where are the others?"

Ben remained silent as Rey stared up at him and waited for an answer. He didn't need to say it, he simply opened the floodgates of his troubled mind. His feelings of grief nearly overpowered her. His agony pooled together with hers as she came to fully comprehend the situation.

Their daughter was dead.

Heavy tears flooded her eyes and a heart-rending sob escaped her lips. Ben pressed his forehead to hers as his own tears began to form. Rey threaded the fingers of her remaining hand into his hair almost painfully as she pulled him closer. He pressed consoling kisses to her wet cheeks, feeling completely helpless, but desperate to somehow make things right; he couldn't stand to see her like this, but for now there was nothing he could do except be there for her.

"I know," He whispered soothingly, "I know."

As She sobbed against him he allowed a few tears of his own, while his sorrow transformed into furious vengeance.

"We are going to find out who did this." He promised her, his voice low and laced with venom, "I am going to make them pay for what they did."

Poe returned from his debriefing a while later to find Ben on Rey's cot with her resting against his chest.

"What's happening?" Ben asked immediately.

"We received an official statement from the senate concerning the Chancellor's death. It said that you murdered him." Poe replied, looking to Ben.

"And?" Ben urged on. This wasn't the least bit surprising, but there had to be more.

"It also said that you were killed while attempting to assassinate Senator Khagan." Poe said.

"How did they explain what happened to my family?" Ben demanded.

"Khagan's statement said that they left the senate on a personal vessel that crashed due to an engine malfunction." Poe said.

"Engine malfunction?" Ben repeated with disbelief.

Poe nodded.

"Wait, what do you mean it was Khagan's statement? Since when does he address the Republic military?" Ben asked.

"You aren't going to like this." Poe murmured, rubbing his temple.

"Just tell me."

"Senator Khagan was elected the new Chancellor." Poe said.

"What? When did this happen?" Ben shouted, accidentally waking Rey with his outburst, "How long were we sedated here?"

"About three days, almost four by now." Poe said, "They voted soon after you escaped the senate."

Poe allowed Ben a few moments to cool down and collect his thoughts before continuing.

"None of my crew has seen any of you except for the droids, and I haven't let any of them take a look at your ship. You're hidden for now, but we need a plan once we get to the base on D'Qar. Some people will know your faces, so you need some sort of disguises as well as a convincing cover story."

"We could be civilian merchants whose freighter you rescued." Rey suggested, "To repay your kindness, we could have offered our services to the Republic in their time of need."

Poe nodded in agreement, "Well, that covers your backstory, but what about your faces?"

"Why don't you let me take a look at your armory?" Ben said.

In the armory of Poe's vessel, Ben searched through his stock to find something that might make it harder for him and his family to be recognized. For Anakin and Rey he had found a pair of technician uniforms and some spare goggles and hooded jacket. It would be much easier for them to blend in compared to himself; his facial scar would be an immediate giveaway, so he needed something to cover his face entirely.

He found what he needed in the form of an old helmet with a tinted visor. It was rusted and dented, but it obscured enough of his face that with a strategically placed scarf pulled over his mouth, he would be unrecognizable. He exchanged his old robes for a clean set of clothing. There wasn't much in his size, but he managed to find a pair of slate blue trousers, a tan shirt, and brown jacket. It was all perfectly unremarkable.

Ben returned to the med bay with his armful of disguises. When he approached the door he stopped just short of opening it. He felt Rey's emotions overflowing and touching his own. Surprise, relief, reluctance, and then she experienced a renewed torrent of grief. Pressing further into her mind just the tiniest bit he discovered the cause; Anakin had awoken and she was breaking the awful news to him. Anakin, being the sensitive young man that he was, hadn't taken it very well. To spare him the embarrassment of crying in front of his father, Ben left him to be comforted by Rey. He could feel her wrap her arms around his broad shoulders and brush her hand soothingly over his dark head of hair as if he was a little boy again. Rey could sense Ben nudging at the edge of her consciousness and together they shared in the relief that their son had woken up and was only superficially injured. Ben left the clothing he had found in a small pile outside the door and made his way to the hangar bay.

The wreckage of the Falcon was a mangled mess. Ben knew it had taken its fair share of damage over the years, but nothing as substantial as this. One side of the ship was blown apart and most of the engine and electrical systems were beyond repair.

Ben entered the remains of the cockpit and found it relatively intact. That fact had allowed the Solos to survive long enough for Poe's rescue. Some of their luggage had been recovered as well. Ben found his and Rey's datapad with only a few scuffs on it and powered it on to check that its files were still there. Family photos were the first thing he searched for. He couldn't help himself from grinning at the sight of little Kiera, no more than five or so, tugging at her brother's ears as she smiled cheerfully. There were pictures of all of the places Ben's family had gone to together, from their vacations on Coruscant and Naboo to their crystal harvesting mission to Illum. Rey's deeply ingrained habit of collecting things had inspired her to keep a thorough archive of her family's most precious moments. While Ben was less than enthusiastic about having photos and holovids taken of him, he was more than happy to indulge her. Now he was more grateful than ever that she had preserved their memories; it would be all they had to sustain them until he had his revenge and what remained of his family was safe to return home.


End file.
